


Tutoring

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, First Time, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-03
Updated: 2006-04-03
Packaged: 2019-05-15 14:00:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14791863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: After a disturbing meeting with Freeride, Donna takes drastic measures.





	Tutoring

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Tutoring**

**by:** Token 

**Character(s):** Donna Moss, John Lyman  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** First Time, General, Romance   
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Really.  
**Summary:** After a disturbing meeting with Freeride, Donna takes drastic measures.  
**Written:** 2006-03-15  
**Author's Note:** This is a story I wrote some time ago, but somehow forgot to post here (shame on me!) 

**Chapter 1**

"Paul." 

It wasn’t really a greeting, more a simple statement. She threw her purse across the back of the chair and sat down without bothering to take off her coat. 

"Donna!" Paul exclaimed as he did that half-stand/bow/bob thing that others thought was so gentlemanly. She hated it. Well, she used to think it was sweet, too, but that was a long time and another world ago. 

Her glare didn’t waver as the seconds ticked by. Paul’s smile faltered for a moment. He cleared his throat and sat back down. 

Silence. 

"So..." 

"What do you want, Paul?" 

"Would you like to look at the menu? The soup’s great!" He gestured to the empty bowl sitting in front of him. 

"Don’t try misdirection with me, Paul. I’ve seen the best and you’re not it." She looked straight at him with no emotion. 

"Besides," she continued, "I’m not staying. I don’t have time to be here as it is and Josh would freak if he knew I was here with you at all. Spill it and let me go." Donna’s voice was low and measured. She didn’t like being around her ex for any reason or for any length of time. It reminded her too much of past mistakes. 

"Now Donna, calm down. I’m sure the great White House can live without one secretary for an hour or so." 

"Assistant. I am Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff and no, he can’t live without me for-" 

"I’m getting married." 

Donna’s whole body jerked, upsetting her water glass. Both jumped back as water drowned the table. 

"She’s wonderful, Donna, really," Paul began hurriedly as he mopped up the mess. "We’ve only been together a month, but I’ve never felt such heat and passion, such a connection, with anyone before. She ... she lights me up!" 

Paul beamed to himself. 

"She just lights me up." He looked up at Donna then, searching her eyes. Whatever he had expected or even hoped to see wasn’t there. Anger radiated from the woman across from him. 

"She does what? You’ve been together for a month – a MONTH, Paul! We were together for nearly four years and every time I brought it up, every time I even suggested..." 

Donna’s voice trailed off as she glared steadily across the table. Here eyes felt hot as the tears threatened to appear, but she would NOT cry. She wasn’t that girl anymore. 

She shook her head and stood. 

"You know what, Paul, give my condolences to your fiancé, she doesn’t know what she’s gotten herself into. Now if you’ll excuse me-" 

"It never would have worked, Donna, you know that." 

Donna frowned and sat back down. She folded her hands on the table and leaned forward. _Let’s settle this_ , she thought. 

"And just why is that, Paul?" 

"You really were a sweet kid and I’m sure that someday you’ll end up with someone who’s willing to overlook your shortcomings... it’s just that I’m a very passionate person and you’re, well... It never would have worked." 

"You... I ..." Donna blinked rapidly. "WHAT?!" 

Paul looked at her with what Donna would have sworn was sympathy if it had come from anyone else. He put his hand over hers. She jerked away. 

"You can call it inexperience if it’ll make you feel better. Obviously your boyfriend – what was his name, Josh? – anyway, he must be okay with it. I mean, after all, obviously he doesn’t think you’re a spitfire if he’s letting you go out to lunch alone with your ex-lover. I know I wouldn’t let my woman out of my sight with another man." 

_Pompous jackass!_

"Josh isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my boss." Donna answered dumbly as she stared off in absolute shock. She couldn’t seem to say anything else. 

"Whatever. Look, don’t stress yourself, darling. What’s that saying? Everyone thinks that they have good taste and a good sense of humor, but not everyone can. It’s like that – everyone thinks that they’re a good kisser and a good lover, and unfortunately you aren’t. It’s okay, I guess, you’ve got other things going for you, we just never would have worked..." 

Paul looked at his watch. 

"Oops, I gotta run. My fiancé will be up soon and I need to be the first thing she sees in the morning... or afternoon, whatever." 

"But..." Donna’s eyes were still unfocused. 

"Hey, it was good to see you again, kid. Take care, okay?" Paul swept out of the restaurant. 

Donna couldn’t move for a moment. She couldn’t even blink. 

"Damn him!" She thought as she felt tears prick the corners of her eyes again. Where was he getting this from? She was good in bed, wasn’t she? She was a grown woman, independent and witty and charming and accomplishing so much. 

Damn him for making her want to cry, she had _changed!_

Then the waiter paused at the table and handed her Paul’s bill. 

"Typical." 

\--------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 2**

"I can’t imagine you not being good at anything..." 

"Oh, Josh..." Donna smiled and dodged an intern as she and Josh wound their way through the halls of the West Wing. 

"...Unless it’s getting to the damn point!" 

"Fair enough." 

"So?" 

"So...So hypothetically, if someone told you that you weren’t good at something that you thought you were good at and you’re in a position where you can’t go back and ask anyone else who’d be in a position to know if you were or weren’t – " 

"Weren’t what?" 

"Weren’t good at it. Then what would you do?" 

"Don’t know. I’m good at everything." 

"Well, I’m not – I mean, not everyone is. So do I – would one – simply go on with life never knowing, just waiting until the situation arises again, and when it does arise – because, face it Josh, it will – just panic in the face of overwhelming insecurities, thus making the original assessment a self-fulfilling prophecy... because it couldn’t really be true what he said, could it?" 

Josh paused outside the door to the Mural Room and turned back to his slightly breathless and distraught assistant. 

His eyes crinkled as the edges of his mouth curled up. 

"Donna, have you ever considered seeking professional help?" And with a full smirk and a shake of his head, he entered the room. 

Donna spun and headed back full-stride towards the bull pen... 

_Professional help. Inexperience. Stupid man. Stupid men! What do they know? Should know better than to try and come to him for advice on ...._

She stopped dead. 

Of course! She was an adult. She had grown. She knew now how to handle the situation. 

Paul had made his feelings perfectly clear on her "abilities" and unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your point of view, she hadn’t gotten much practice or feedback from Cliff or Jack. Donna needed experience and she needed someone to give it to her. 

She giggled and shook her head as she continued to her desk. She most definitely needed someone to ‘give it to her’. 

Now, who? Who could fit the profile of what she needed and be trusted not to spread it around? Someone that cared about this administration as much as she did, and also cared enough about her to help her out. 

Someone, she figured, with objectivity who would tell her what was good and bad. Someone with plenty of experience and would work with her to help her improve. And not be a Republican, of course. She’d had way too many problems with them. 

And sexy... sexy was a must. 

There was really just one conclusion for her to come to ... It could only be him and no matter how awkward it would seem at first, she knew their friendship was strong enough that he would do anything she asked, if she really needed it. 

Donna giggled to herself again – yep, she certainly really needed it. Oh God, what was she about to get herself into? 

\--------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 3**

Donna spun slow circles around and around as she sat in the old conference room chair, waiting. She hated this room, she decided. It was the same basement room in which the agonizing conferences about the President’s MS had taken place. It was dark and dank and dreary and lots of other awful things, not all falling into alliteration. 

But still, she reasoned, it was the best place. They couldn’t be seen meeting outside the White House – especially if anyone knew what they’d be doing. And it really would put a damper on things to get comfortable in his office only to be interrupted by a national emergency or something. 

No, this room was perfect. It had proven itself secure in the past, and everyone else who knew of its former purpose steered clear of it. It held bad memories for a lot of people. 

Besides, it had couches. 

Donna smiled to herself. She had never thought about other uses for the couches when she had them moved in here! 

Donna’s chair was facing the far wall when she heard the door behind her open. She pushed down the nerves that were jangling all through her body and plastered on a confident smile as she turned around. She needed to know the truth and this was the man who would – 

"JOSH?!?" Donna screamed as she bolted up. 

Josh stood at the bottom of the steps, and for all her time with him, Donna could not read his expression. He stared straight at her, intensely so, and his hands were balled into fists at his side. 

"You have got to be kidding me," he growled. 

_Oh, GOD!_

"Of all the hair-brained, ridiculous, juvenile stunts you’ve pulled in the time I’ve known you, this has got to be the absolute worst. WHAT THE HELL HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU???" 

Donna turned white, then pink, then red. Her voice didn’t seem to be working. She stared at her shoes. 

"Damn it, Donnatella, LOOK AT ME!" 

She cleared her throat, twice, and squared her shoulders before raising her eyes to him. 

"Look, Josh, I don’t know what you think you’re doing here, or how any of this is really your business..." she started, sounding more confident than she felt. 

"My business? OF COURSE IT’S MY BUSINESS! I am third most important person in the country ... it IS my business when my ASSISTANT makes plans for SEX LESSONS with the Deputy Communications Director... sex lessons to be conducted in the WHITE HOUSE!" 

Donna flinched as his voice thundered. She had never seen him this mad before, and she had seen his worst. 

"How did you ... ?!" 

"Sam." 

"Why – " 

"Unlike yourself, Donna, Sam has an ounce or two of common sense. He told me. He was concerned and he damn well should have been!" 

"Is he – " 

"No." 

"You don’t even know what I was going to – " 

"No, Donna, he is not coming. He is not even going to discuss this with you again. In fact, I’ve advised him to stay the HELL AWAY from you for the foreseeable future." 

"How dare you?! Sam is my friend, and what he and I decide to do or not do ... if we want to see or not see each other ... you, you- Josh you have NO RIGHT!" Donna almost stomped her foot; she was shaking with anger. 

"I HAVE EVERY RIGHT! What you do reflects on me, and Leo, and the President. Hell, do you have any idea the scandal that would play from something like this? So yes, I have the right. I have a right and an obligation to control my own staff. If there’s a problem with that, then maybe YOU shouldn’t be on staff anymore." Josh bit the words off before he could stop himself. 

Donna sat down heavily in the chair. She was still shaking and she was pretty sure that the wetness on her face meant that she was crying. _What the hell just happened? Oh God..._

_What had just happened? He was so angry!_ All Donna could hear was ringing in her ears. 

She was still shaking. 

Josh turned away from her. He hung his head and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. _Why does he look so broken?_

"Why?" 

She almost didn’t hear him. Wasn’t sure he really said anything until he looked back over his shoulder at her. 

"Why, Donna? Why? What’s going on?" 

His quiet tone was almost worse than the yelling. For a moment he looked like he might want to say more, but he just turned fully back towards her and waited. 

"God, I’m an idiot," Donna thought. She felt humiliated. How could she explain this to him? 

"I saw Paul today." 

"Paul?" 

"Dr. Freeride. And wait, Josh," Donna held up her hand, "before you react – badly I’m sure – nothing happened. He’s getting married and he wanted to tell me in person." 

Josh’s face contorted oddly as she spoke. He looked puzzled for a moment, as if measuring what he was going to say. 

"So what, exactly, does this have to do with your arranging to ..." - he trailed for a second as if struggling to gain his composure - "...to have sex with Sam?" 

Donna took a deep breath, looked again at her shoes. There was no good way out of this. _The truth shall set you free_ , she thought absently as she began. She told Josh of Paul’s assessment of her inabilities in bed. She explained her ideas about her lack of experience and why she thought Sam might be able to help her practice and tell her honestly how to improve. 

Donna’s face was on fire. 

Silence hung for an unendurable time after she finished. Then Josh did something she never would have expected. 

\--------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 4**

Josh did something she never would have expected. 

He laughed. 

She looked up at him, startled. He was leaning with one arm up against the wall, genuinely laughing at her. 

_Wait. He was_ laughing _at her!_

"Josh!" 

"Donna," he chuckled. 

_What the hell?_

"Josh, you’re laughing at me." 

"Yes." 

She stood up and crossed her arms, glaring at him. 

"You’re laughing." 

"Yes." 

She had just totally humiliated herself in front of him and now he was taking full advantage of it - of her misery. She had to put up with a lot from Joshua Lyman, but she was not going to put up with this! 

"I don’t have to put up with this!" Donna stalked towards the stairs, physically pushing past her boss. 

"Now Donna, wait." 

"No!" 

" _Wait._ " He reached his left arm out, grabbed her around her waist, and before she knew it, her back was to the wall and the air was knocked out of her lungs. Now both of Josh’s arms braced the wall. She was blocked in. 

Donna was suddenly very aware how close Josh was to her. How close his body was, right there, looming in front of hers. She could smell his soap and laundry detergent, clean and crisp, and found herself simply staring at the way his shirt was pulling across his chest. 

"Look at me Donna." His voice was low and gentle. What was happening? He wasn’t laughing anymore. 

She looked up at his eyes. They were so close to her, she couldn’t remember ever being quiet this close. She could feel the heat pulsing off of his body. He was so close. 

Josh gave her a little smile. God, those dimples. He leaned forward, tilted his face to the side of hers and whispered in her ear. 

"Breathe, Donnatella." 

Donna smiled back at him; of course she was being silly again. She gave a little laugh and then drew air back into her lungs. But as she did so, her back arched slightly and her chest moved forward flush against him. She felt a tingle move between their bodies and she shuddered, half closing her eyes. 

She heard him exhale, somewhere between a sigh and a moan. Something was happening, but her brain felt muddled and detached. The ground felt like it was rapidly and continually falling away from her feet. Thank God for the wall at her back because without it she would be lost. All she could concentrate on was the touch of their bodies. 

"Do you really think you lack passion, Donna?" Josh pressed forward and moved his body full on her, pinning her to the wall. Her arms were pressed up and around his neck. 

He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, his breath tickling her ear and moving her hair. She was having trouble breathing. What was happening? He was so close. 

"Do you really think that you can’t inspire passion in others?" He murmured as he pressed his hardness into her hip. She moaned into his shoulder. 

"Can you feel me, Donna?" Josh murmured into her ear. "Can you feel what you do to me?" He rocked against her with each question as she arched herself further into him. "Do you know the passion you inspire in me?" 

"Josh..." She whimpered. 

"Donna, you have to know..." Josh’s voice was gravely and his eyes, though slightly unfocused, searched hers. Donna felt an odd lurch in her stomach. As Josh leaned towards her, Donna inhaled sharply. 

She met him halfway. 

Josh’s tongue slid along her lower lip and into her mouth. God he felt so good, so right. Donna moaned into the kiss. Her hips bucked as their tongues finally met and swept across each other. 

Donna didn’t know anyone could actually spontaneously combust from kissing, but she felt like she was about to. His mouth was hard and cocky and talented. His kiss was passionate and sweet and totally in tune with her. She tightened her hold and pressed him closer. 

His hands were cupping her face. Her fingers were tangled in his hair. They had both forgotten how to breathe. 

Finally, the kiss softened and ended. Josh rested his forehead against hers. Donna couldn’t stop smiling, but then, neither could Josh. 

"So, no lessons?" She asked as she continued to thread her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck. 

"Yes." 

"Yes – lessons, or yes – no lessons?" She grinned. 

"Yes - lessons" 

"Oh." Donna’s smile dropped and she started to pull her arms away. She had to disappear before she died of embarrassment. She just had to. 

She tried to move out, to move away. 

"Damn it, Donna, stop it!" Josh took held her wrists gently but kept her pressed against the wall. 

His beautiful brown eyes seemed to bore into her. _God, when had she lost her heart to him?_

"I meant that _we_ would continue the ‘lessons,’" he kissed her on one cheek. 

"Together," he kissed the other. 

"’Cause I think for once in my life I have something to learn." He stared straight at her and she understood. 

Donna smiled and leaned forward. 

This time, he met her halfway. 


End file.
